Mistletoe and Memories
by Sketchy788
Summary: Bringing back sweet memories of Christmases past while looking towards the future.


Years in the future, but not many…

Snow sparkled in the moonlight that chilly December evening. Lights were glowing, snowmen lined the streets. Fairy Tail's Christmas Festival was all set to begin the next morning.

But that night a hush fell over the town. In a certain cottage on the outskirts of town, a little girl eagerly anticipated the arrival of Santa.

"Nashi! Bedtime!"

"Tonight! Tonight! Tonight!" Pink ponytails bouncing, the four year old hopped down from the couch and did a little dance around the living room. "Santa's coming toniiiight!"

"Not if you don't go to bed!" Her father, Natsu, scooped her up into his arms and carried her to her bedroom. Her mother, Lucy, followed them, beaming softly the whole time. "Santa doesn't like visiting little girls who stay up too late."

"Okay..." A mighty yawn for someone so young. She climbed under the covers. "Can Happy stay here tonight?"

"Aye!" The blue cat flew in, landing on one of Nashi's pillows then curling into a ball. Natsu and Lucy exchanged soft smiles. He tucked the child in, then both parents kissed her forehead.

"Night mommy. Night daddy."

"Night, Nashi-lu."

"Sweet dreams, little love." Lucy ruffled her daughter's hair and watched as those big brown eyes slowly closed. Several minutes later the child and the exceed were both snoring peacefully. Natsu led Lucy back to the living room, and they made quick work of setting a mountain of gifts around the tree. Then they cuddled up together in front of a roaring fire, sipping cocoa and reminiscing about Christmases past.

"I love this time of year..." She sighed and nuzzled against him. Natsu couldn't help smiling as he pulled her just a little bit closer.

"Me too, Luce."

There was no mystery why. This particular holiday had managed to do what the entire guild couldn't: It brought these two boneheads together.

Flash back seven years to a very different holiday season.

On this particular year the guild's festival took place on Christmas Eve. Everyone had been given some task to take care of before the festival. And Natsu, Lucy, and Happy had been put in charge of delivering toys to the children of a local orphanage.

At first this seemed like it was going to be a tough challenge.

Natsu clearly had the holiday spirit. Once they finished unloading the gifts he had started passing them to the kids, smiling and shouting "merry Christmas!" 

His attitude was contagious. And watching him interact with the kids so happily was a joy in itself. In no time Lucy joined him, making sure to match his enthusiasm.

_He's such a sweetheart..._ It wasn't the first time she had thought about him like that, and definitely wasn't the first time she had privately pondered the feelings he stirred in her.

Lucy very much wanted to be more than friends. She very much did not know how Natsu would react to that. For all she knew, he would think of it as a big joke.

Hence her stalling.

But it was Christmas...and there was a feeling of magic in the air. Anything could happen…

Her musing continued once they got to the hall. By that time the guild's party was in full swing. Natsu and Happy went straight to the buffet line. Lucy, meanwhile, grabbed a mug of egg nog and took a seat next to Cana, Levy, and Mira. She gladly talked with her friends, but couldn't help smiling at Natsu's antics every now and then.

She thought she was being discreet about it.

Wrong.

"Girl, I can't believe you haven't told him yet!"

"Uhh...told who what now?"

"Oh you know exactly what I mean." Cana nudged Lucy, this knowing grin on her face. "I saw that smile, Lucy, and we all see who you've been looking at."

"I agree. Go for it, Lu."

"Yeah!" Mira was beaming. Lucy could practically see the hearts in her eyes. "You'd be so cuuuute together!"

Before Lucy had a chance to even think about responding to this attack, a loud squeal caught everyone's attention.

"Oooo! Mistletoe! Gray darling?"

The ice mage in question was halfheartedly trying to find a way to escape this situation. Sure enough, Happy had somehow gotten hold of a sprig of mistletoe and was soaring around the guild hall with it dangling from his paws.

When Lucy turned to face her friends, each girl was pointing in Natsu's direction with smug little smirks. If she knew Happy half as well as she thought she did, there was no question where that sprig of mistletoe would end up…

_Gulp…_

She stood up and slowly made her way to where Natsu was currently standing. Everything seemed to be going smoothly...at least until her feet found a spot of spilled beer and she found herself quite literally crashing into his arms.

Natsu helped Lucy back to her feet with this adorable confused look on his face.

"What's up, Luce? Are you okay?"

"I'm..I'm fine. I wanted to tell you something, that's all."

"Okay…?" Still confused, but now he was clearly amused. By this point Happy's flying Kiss Me Express had reached its inevitable destination and the cat was snickering.

"You know what thiiiiiiis meaaaaans! Kissy kissy!"

Lucy's face was about as red as Erza's hair. Natsu looked genuinely concerned over the whole situation...and maybe a little hopeful?

"Hey, we don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine. That's...actually what I wanted to tell you. I...I love you, Natsu." She didn't even give him a chance to respond. She just jumped back into his arms and tugged him scarf-first into a tender kiss. To her surprise he didn't pull away. When the kiss broke he rested his forehead on hers, grinning one of his sly grins.

"Finally..." Chuckle. "And just so you know, Lucy, I love ya too." With no further ado the dragon slayer pulled the celestial mage into his arms and proved his words with a kiss that melted every thought from her mind.

Well...except for one.

"Let's go home." Her soft whisper made him quirk his head. She nodded then kissed his cheek. That was a clear enough hint in his eyes. A confession, a kiss, an invite to go somewhere more private...it all seemed so right, so natural…

She led him to her apartment and they shared sweet kisses in the crisp winter air. Eventually they made their way inside, and at long last crossed that tenuous line between friends and lovers. After passion had run its course they shared hot chocolate and more sweet kisses in between relaxed conversation.

Neither could deny that their bond was stronger, and neither would deny that the love they shared was the best Christmas present imaginable.

As time went by, that love only intensified. Team Natsu still went on jobs, with Natsu and Lucy taking an increasing number of solo missions accompanied by Happy.

Less than two years after they first spent the night together Natsu proposed. They had been stargazing in the outskirts of town by his cottage, and he had taken her completely by surprised.

Lucy accepted immediately. So immediately, in fact, that she accidentally knocked Natsu over in her enthusiasm. They had lay together laughing and cuddling for what seemed like forever.

Then, four years ago, Lucy found out she was pregnant with little Nashi, and their lives had changed yet again for the better.

That's why, after the presents were all under the tree, Lucy cuddled up in Natsu's arms and sighed contently.

"Merry Christmas, love."

"Merry Christmas, Luce." He kissed her forehead, let one hand stroke over her belly, quietly acknowledging the pregnancy they had so far kept a secret from their guildmates. The others would find out soon enough.

For now, the Dragneel family just wanted to enjoy the quiet peace that the Christmas season provided...


End file.
